North 1, Bels 0

A SINGLE goalkeeping error and one team walks off the pitch victorious while the other goes off with their heads bowed in defeat. And so it was at Northfield last night as a mistake by Bels keeper Rhys Gower in just the second minute of the game gifted North the win when he let in an innocuous Jon Veron shot.

For the remaining 88 minutes, the match was near enough a stalemate.

Nevertheless, North coach Mick Le Prevost was pleased with the win that now sees his side nine points clear at the top.

‘There was only one team that was going to win it,’ he said.

‘They went out there and did what they were told to do and that was what won it for them.’

The home side started the match the more sprightly and left winger Dave Rihoy should have scored in the first minute when he broke free, but his shot went just wide of the far post.

That miss was soon forgotten though when Veron on the opposite wing broke in from the flank to shoot with his left foot.

Gower should have dealt with the low shot as it skimmed along the ground but somehow the ball made it through his grasp.

Veron went on to turn in a man-of-the-match performance that will help silence the critics of the striker who has had to spend most of the season on the wing.

‘I’m just getting used to playing right midfield. It takes a few games,’ said Veron.

‘Mick had a word in front of all the lads before the game and that gave me some confidence and I think that’s what has been lacking lately. And it’s always good for confidence to get on the score sheet.’

The hard bumpy pitch did neither side any favours as they both struggled to string together any meaningful moves.

North had the run of the play in the first half as Veron kept penetrating the Bels defence with his mazy runs.

But North could not find that killer touch.

Their big centre forward, Simon Tostevin, had a match he would rather forget as chance after chance went begging.

His best opportunity came seven minutes before half time when he had time and space in the area but his first touch let him down as Gower had no trouble gathering the ball.

A couple of minutes later, Rihoy would have been in a one-on-one situation with Gower if it was not for an excellent tackle from Leighton Chainey. The Bels centre back and captain saved his team from a certain goal.

Two minutes into the second half and Gower was tested for the second time in the game when Veron let loose a stinging shot that the keeper stopped with his legs. That turned out to be the last the clear-cut chance on goal for both teams as the match descended into a midfield battle.

Tostevin was wide with a header from a free kick on the hour mark and his strike partner AJ Saunders also missed with a header at a corner six minutes later.

Things got a bit heated at times, as you expect for such an important game, but referee Matt Walsh only had to reach for his book once and that was to write down Stuart Polson’s name after an over aggressive challenge on Brent Marquand when going for a high ball.

Bels coach Micky Ogier turned to his juniors for inspiration in the latter stages as he brought on Dan Marquand and Dave Martin but it was to no avail as the match ended in defeat for his team.

Chainey felt his team were unlucky not to get at least a point out of the match, but he could see the funny side.

‘We battered them for the last 45 minutes but we couldn’t score,’ said Chainey.

‘I thought we deserved something out of the game. They had one chance that Rhys gave them a helping hand with. He must have a bit of money on them to win the league.’